Although we can think 'I could get an atemi in there' I think unless we train in atemi in an integrated way it is lost from technique.

In traditional aiki-jitsu the techniques are done with more atemi, then most of these are removed to increase blending and speed. Unfortunately in aikido we have lost the benefit of this training method in an attempt to rush into no atemi aikido. The benefit of this is that, if our blending is poor, we resort to what we first learnt - atemi.

I think it is also important to integrate atemi into the techniques e.g. tenchi-nage should be a strike to the face/neck if uke continues to move in. Also, if a technique stalls, it is useful to realise how the initial part of the technique has opened up the opponent for strikes.